14208/Almond Joy or Mounds

Almond Joy or Mounds
Date of Scene:	21 February 2023
Location:	Chinatown
Synopsis:	Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. And look! There's two of them present. Betsy runs into Wade and Harley at the park only to learn things she didn't really want to know.
Cast of Characters:	Wade Wilson, Betsy Braddock, Harley Quinn

---

Wade Wilson has posed:
    In the depths of Chinatown there are many things of great worth. Some of the best noodles in the city. Decorative and cheap furnishings that rival Pier One for their quality and taste. Elaborate and lovely pieces of artistic work. But then there are also the spectacles one can see. In the country there are fewer better places to see people practicing Tai Chi, or playing a good game of Go.
    In the middle of eight different tables there are three pairs of people playing Go and concentrating deeply on the challenge. Especially with such a strong contest of wills being held between two elderly masters of the game, looking thoughtful, intense as they ponder their next moves.
    What one doesn't often see, however, is a man in a red and black body suit with twin katanas kneeling beside the table, doing a live broadcast with an ice cream cone as a microphone.
    "It's still early, Jim. I think Tetsuo has the early advantage. He seems to command more of the board. But still... there is time for Kaneda to shine." His voice is quiet, hushed, as if he was watching a game of golf and one man was teeing off.
    "He looks thoughtful. Scratches his beard." One of the older men looks sidelong at Wade and frowns. "A rare break in concentration there from Tetsuo. Perhaps the pressure is getting to him."
    The man called Tetsuo says something in Cantonese to his partner, his partner shrugs and gestures at Deadpool who provides commentary to even that. "The opponents confer. Such a show of sportsmanship. Ah, Kaneda touches one of the black little rock thingys."
    Slowly one player moves the game piece forward.
    "Ah, a hasty move. Very daring. Moving it forward into... one of the other tiny little rock things. Brilliant. Now Tetsuo... he seems nervous."
    Which Tetsuo seems to speak English at the least. "I am not nervous."
    Wade gasps, "Oh no, it seems the wheels are coming off the bandwagon. Tetsuo breaking under the pressure."
    The older man frowning as he slides a piece forward, "Tetsuo is a Japanese name."
    Wade waits until the piece is moving, "Oh no the wheels... definitely coming off."
    Then when the man takes his hand off the piece, "There they go! A harsh mistake, Jim. A harsh mistake. Kaneda will surely capitalize on it."
    

Betsy Braddock has posed:
There was something about Wade. It was magnetic.

Not in a positive way.

It just meant that somehow people got drawn into the circle of his crazy, whether they wanted to or not. And this is what Betsy's life lately had been reduced to. The last time she'd been out for a jog through Central Park, there he had been. And now she had come to a completely different part of the city, opting to try something she hadn't in a long time, which was to join those performing Tai Chi on that grassy knoll over there. She was approaching, wearing some sweatpants over yoga pants because it was a bit cold. A little above freezing at least but it wasn't expected to get much higher today. A t-shirt with a sweatshirt and then a hoodie over that. It was all about layers. It allowed one to remove some as they warmed up, without sacrificing a level of propriety in their dress.

She paused as she heard that voice, snapping her head in the direction of the Go game and letting out a puff of air that misted in the cold. She turned her steps to move within conversational range. "First chess, now Go. What are you doing?"

Harley Quinn has posed:
"I don't know Jack.." That's Jim! Or rather, that's Harley, the color commentator, here for the hard facts about this hard game of Go! And Jack? That's Deadpool, of course.

"Tetsuo has been on a roll as of late, with an impressive 89% win rate. He has been decimating the opposition." Harley is here dressed as she knows best, colorful shorts in a mix of yellow and red (really they seem more like they were splashed with paint on them), sneakers. Atop though? She wears an actual BUSINESS jacket. You know, like real commentators do. Bringing some seriousness to this whole shindig.

Even if there isn't much seriousness to the comment on the game!

"I can see Kaneda gettin' this game, but can he go the distance? He's been failin' to capitalize on opponents mistakes as of late..." Yes, Harley even has a damn selfie stick as she is filming the whole thing.

"Man, my OnlyFans channel is gonna loooove thiiis..." She whispers over at Deadpool with one of those wide grins on her expression. So wide. So manic. It's when Betsy comes moving in that her attention shifts that way, "Oh my... Hellloooo..." fingerwiggling in Betsy's direction.

Wade Wilson has posed:
    Deadpool shakes his head sadly at Harley, "I think I have to disagree with you, Jim. Perhaps you're letting the alcohol get to you again. I know your family staged that intervention, how did that go?"
    The mask was lifted up and Wade took a lick of the vanilla ice cream cone as he hissed through his teeth as he looked back at the two players, "Oh no! A critical mistake made at this very important phase of the game. This could cost him greatly." Another lick, then the two Go players look up at Wade and Harley, frowning severely. They go back to playing as it seems that suddenly a wild Psylocke appears.
    She gets Wade's attention and abruptly she's part of the television broadcast. "Oh oh. We're in for a rare treat, ladies and gentlemen. We're being joined in the booth by none other than Rhea Perlman." He extends the ice cream cone toward Psylocke, "Tell me, Rhea... how has life treated you after Cheers?"
    He licks the cone again.
    "Good good. And how has life been with Danny Devito? Do you both still have an active love life? Please go into... elaborate, exquisite, disgusting detail of what it's like for two really... really unattractive people to have sex."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
"Who?"

Which honestly was a mistake on Betsy's part, something she recognizes as soon as she says the word. Because that invites Wade to go off on a tangent, something he happens to excel at. She looks over at Harley then back to Wade before shaking her head a little.

"Nevermind. I don't want to know. Just perhaps leave these two nice gentlemen to their game perhaps? Go find something else more entertaining like perhaps helping build an orphanage or donating money to charity, if said money was not earned through illegal means."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Yep, that's something that Rhea Perlman would say..." Harley sagely nods in agreement with Wade, moving in close with her SELFIE STICK to have a good angle on Betsy as well, "You are keepin' yourself sharp though. Say, don't suppose I can convince ya to an interview later on?" Is she asking Rhea Perlman? Or the actual Betsy? Who knows what goes through their minds!

Poor Tetsuo and Kaneda though. So forgotten for the moment. It means they can focus on their game.

"And what is it with you knowin' all the cool people?" This to Wade now. "First the Agent, now this smokin' bombshell. What's your secret!?" Oh no, she is breaking character from Jim!

"Hey ..." And she sidles closer to Betsy, "Name's Harley. Harley Quinn."

Wade Wilson has posed:
    Wade exhales softly, then gives Harley a look as he says simply, "Millenials." That said he straightens up and cuts out the game commentary, leaving his back to the Go players behind him. He takes another lick of his ice cream and motions at Harley, "Siiigh-lock, this is Harls. Harls, this is Psylocke." He gestures with one hand to the other and the other with the ice cream cone.
    "I don't recall if we used to date or something, but she seems to be around fairly often." Wade says as he walks over to the empty Go table and _drops_ into one of the seats, propping his boots up on the side of it and taking another lick. He then holds up a hand and whispers sidelong to Harleen. "I think she's stalking me." He nods and gives an exaggerated wink of one white eyelet.
    Then the brows of his mask knit together, "How did we meet, Harls? I can't remember."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
As that name is given by Wade, Betsy simply nods and opts to stick with that. Because does she need this additional crazy person--who is not Wade and is not someone she's dealt with before-to actually know who she is?

"Psylocke," she says to correct the pronunciation. Her own accent is mostly posh British but there is a hint of something that may be Japanese to it. It isn't too extreme but just makes the accent not quite what it normally might be. "Nice to meet you, Miss Quinn." She opts to go with that as her name instead of a codename, since she's not familiar with Harley personally. "And to answer your question, Wade. We never dated. We have worked together from time to time." She didn't elaborate on that. "Nor am I stalking you. I simply seem to be having a run of...luck this month. Perhaps that will change soon."

As Deadpool asks that question of Harley, Betsy starts to sidle back a step at a time when they are busy looking at each other, thus hopefully managing to sneak a bit of distance.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Right? Sheeesh...." A glance over her shoulder at the two old players going at it at Go. Those aren't the millenials Wade was talking about, Harley! But anyways, after ignoring the poke at her breaking character it's time for the good ol' exchanging helloes. "Siigh-lock?" there's a titter, "My, my. You look fully ensorcelled by Syyyy---llooook..." a twinkle of mischief in her gaze. Maybe she's playing matchmaker. Harley has a big heart for her friends.

"It's good ta meet you, Psylocke." A nod of her head given, but then her attention is on Wade at his VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. "I think you weah stalkin' me big time." she tells Wade, "Wantin' ta get married. I still remember the rings, but I think Bud and Lou ate 'em. And let me tell ya, it wasn't easy for those things to come out...!" is that a real story? Does anyone even know? Does it even MATTER?!

But then. She is serious. "Hol' up.."

Head twists so she is looking squarely at Betsy when she is trying to slip away. "Are you THE Psylocke?" a beat, "Spi-Spi's old friend? The one with the nightclub?" oh my. "Oh shit, she told me soooo much about ya!"

Wade Wilson has posed:
    "You mean _amazing_ luck, you should play the lotto." Wade tells Psylocke then casually tosses his ice cream cone over his shoulder where it lands with a _splut_ on the edge of Kaneda's side of the board. Which is a move that is not looked on kindly.
    Then Deadpool looks over at Harley and listens to her explanation of how they met. His mask's brow furrows again as he looks at her, "Seriously, I asked you to marry me?" Wade makes a face as he _thumps_ one of his boots to the ground. "I apparently was already married I think. Or something, there was some cowgirl that kept telling me we were hitched." He shakes his head.
    Then he snaps his fingers and points at Harleen, "I'll need those rings back though, just in case."
    He then rounds on Psylocke and looks oh so curious, "You have a night club? That's so rude you didn't even tell me. And here we are in the middle of a very serious relationship, clearly."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Ever seen that movie Jurassic Park? The original and only one because all the rest were trash. The one with the T-Rex that would attack based on movement? Apparently Betsy is feeling like that might apply when dealing with two questionably mentally stable people. For as soon as Harley looks at her, she stops moving. Utterly still. Even when Deadpool adds his question and his gaze, she stands like a statue for a long moment as her thoughts scatter to the four winds.

Finally she manages to get herself together enough to answer. Though mainly her gaze is on Harley because she is the bigger threat now. Who is Spi-Spi and how does she know Betsy?!

"We are not in a relationship, Wade." The correction is more an auto pilot response. "And yes, I do own a club. Which I didn't think was pertinent to our work."

She never took her violet gaze off Harley. "Spi-Spi? I am not familiar with that name for them to have shared anything about me."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"You did.." Harley assures Wade with a slow nod, "And suwah, I will get ya the rings. What am I even usin' them foh ..? Probably kink stuff for the OnlyFans channel.." she gets a thoughtful expression on her face for a moment. Or at least until there's that glimmer of recognition about Psylocke. Because now Harley is amped up to 11. Super excited. "No no, it must be you, right?!" those big blue eyes fully on Betsy. Dangerous? Is the clownette ever not dangerous?!

"And Spi-Spi .., oh sorry, I mean SPIRAL." she grins wide. "Tough girl, four arms. Magician extraordinaire. She was a bit rough on the edges but she was one of my best friends..." a longing sigh out of Harley. "Was ...." she takes in a sigh. "I think she took off to the Wildways a while back..., that's where she wanted to be. I still drink a Cosmo every month in her memory.."

It probably doesn't take much for Harley to drink a Cosmopolitan.

"And we should totally go to her nightclub. It's the Sion. That place is rad, and it has dance-off nights.."

Wade Wilson has posed:
    "Weird, I don't feel all Mormon." Wade says as he rolls on up and out of his seat, grabbing a heavy duffel bag that was left beside one of the nearby bike racks. He _swings_ it up onto his shoulder and seems very thoughtful for a time. "Maybe I am. I should go study it."
    He turns around, then points at the two women, "Right right, night club. It's a date. We'll dance, we'll party. It will, indeed, be on. And it will be brung."
    He turns back around and starts to walk away.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
At the mention of the name Spiral, all the color fades from Betsy's face. Because that is not someone she wants to ever meet again. Well, unless she was putting a sword through Spiral's face. But outside that, she had no interest in being near her or dealing with her in any way. "I...see." And as Wade turned to leave, she turned to do the same.

"It was interesting to meet you. Please excuse me. We'll ...meet again in the future, I'm sure." Since she was having /that/ month it appeared where she couldn't avoid the weirdness magnet that was her life.